Alice Red Riding Hood
by Tea Rosarie
Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...    Xx-*R&Rplz*-xX
1. I

_**OC: Here is yet another Alice in Wonderland story for all you Wonderland fans. Hope you enjoy.**_

_**Alice: Lady OC doesn't own Alice in Wonderland, Lord Burton does. If Lady OC **__**did**__** own it, we would all be in trouble.**_

_**OC: True dat, Lady Kingsleigh.**_

_**OC&Alice: *fist bump***_

_**Chessur: Review and do it nicely please.**_

_**OC: And I **__**MUST**__** say that the "Beauty and the Beast" story was my inspiration! To the author (GothicFaery94), you're awesome and I hope you write more!**_

**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**

**Alice Red Riding Hood**

**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**

**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**

**Genre: Romance (when **_**HAVEN'T **_**I not done romance?)**

**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**

**Author's Begining Note: Hope you enjoy. Sorry if the writing is bad; I just started grade 9 and I suck at writing but I love it. Please, if you think I'm being an ass to myself, leave a comment. And read "Beauty and the Beast". It's good. 'Nuff said.**

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As every fairytale must begin with... Once apon a time there was a young girl by the name of Alice. Her eyes were a ripe shade of brown, her hair were long golden locks and her skin was fair, for a woman who only went outside to have tea with her few friends and, at times, shop with her father.

Alice was a very beautiful girl for her young age. Everyman, to the town's fool to the richest men (beside her father), wanted her as their wife. Yet no man could ever see what she truely was. Artistic, imangintive, brave, courageous, intelligant, witty, and absolutely, positively wonderful. Yes, Alice was quite a catch, if you could ever find the right bait.

And to hid her beauty, Alice wore a red hood. It covered everything. There was no Alice left to be shone, just the hem of her dress and her boots. She wore it everywhere she went and everywhere she was. Only showing herself to her father and her two closest friends, which happened to be the chattesist of the bunch.

She didn't have a big family. No brothers, or sisters. Not even a mother. Alice only had her father named Charles Kingsleigh. He was a man whose wife died at the birth of his only child. Charles owned the small town that they lived in. And Alice had a aunt. A widow who soon grew sick and, since she lived in the wood that surrounded the town, could no longer get the medicine she needed. Alice loved her aunt dearly, she was the mother Alice never had. But noone entered Tulgey Wood alone.

Rumor has it that the Tulgey Wood was occupated by a madman, a hatter to be exact. Electric orange hair that curled upwards; skin so white it resembled the moon; cherry pink lips; big lime green eyes; white eyelashes; purple cheek bones; bright color around his eyes; orange fingertips; green nails, people believed was mold; a top hat always on his head. He was a very strange looking man. Of course looks could be deceiving. Infact this man may have looked odd but he was very kind. Too kind that one man came up to him and stole that beloved hat. He chased that man into the wood in attempt to get his hat back. But never found him, and was forever lost in the wood.

That's when his madness let lose. His eyes turned into fire, the color turned to the coal that made the fire brighter. Wolf-like features appeared onto his face and body, like a tail longer than a horse's. That man would be the last thing you see if you enter the Tulgey Wood. That is, if you ever see him. He'll attack from infront, behind, and even from up in the trees. When he catches you he will murder you in ways not even young minds could dream of. He could skin you alive, slowly so you can feel every ounce of pain; rip your head off and burn your body at the stake; pull your eyeballs out; stick a sharp peice of lumber down your throat. Sometimes, when he was in one of his 'better' moods, he would send the body back to their family. And watch in the shadows on how they react of the sight.

There was always one rule because of this rumor: no man would ever go about in Tulgey Wood.

* * *

Late summer was a beautiful time to be outside. The leaves were gently falling down, like a blanket over the ground. The air was such the pefect temperature that it was pleasurable to be running around and such. Families were having picnics weekly. Children were outside all the time. Just enjoying the feel of being outside and not inside to do their awful lessons. Ladies loved having tea with their friends. Alice was defiantly one of those ladies.

Speaking of the hooded gal of our tale, there she was. Sitting comftorably with her two close friends, Faith and Fiona Chattaway, under their favorite tea-time spot. The apple tree in Alice's backyard that they had grown together as children. They just loved sitting in the backyard. Many patches of roses, red and white, were planted everywhere. Fruit trees planted by the maze. The maze didn't have an exit. It was only there for games. Though Alice couldn't brag and say she one every single game as a child. That would be rude.

"Oh, Alice, don't you think this tea is marvelous?" Fiona asked, giddy about something Alice knew she didn't want to know. Or maybe she was hyped up on the tea Alice had prepared.

"Isn't the tea always marvelous when _I _make it?" Alice asked back. She took a little sip of her tea, happy that her hood hid her suppressed smile. Fiona rolled her eyes, ignoring the un-lady-like-ness she had just displayed. Faith giggled girlishly, covering her mouth while doing so. At least she had some class. "But yes, it is. Father had brought some exoctic tea back from his visit from the town a ways down."

Faith placed her elbow on the table, resting her face in her palm. She smiled widely at Alice. "You're very lucky to have a father who actually _leaves_ you alone." she confessed to her friend. The Chattaway's father never let them be ever since the day they turned fourteen. That was five years ago! Infact, he was probally watching over them somewhere in the garden.

The girls bursted out into a fit of giggles.

Fiona stopped abruptly. "Speaking of men, didn't you hear-?"

Faith's eyes widened. "Oh dear, I did hear. I mean-"

"I know, it's terrible!"

"What are you speaking off?" Alice asked. She was never around to hear the latest gossip, since she was indoors all the time. At least these two ladies still kept their friendship up with the poor girl. Yes, never a dull moment with the Chattaways.

The two sisters looked uneasy. Which was never a good sign. The last time they had those faces, Alice had found out she had a man who was going to propose to her. She felt her palms sweat. It wouldn't be a good thing if _that_ happened again. That poor man was still missing. And it's been almost two years.

"Well, you know Mary-Ann, the tailor?" Faith began. Alice nodded. "Her husband is still missing." Fiona continued. Alice's eyes widened. She knew Mary-Ann very well, and her husband Bill. Mary-Ann had made her hood and every single one of her dresses. And Bill was a very kind man who worked as a chimney sweep. She heard that Bill went missing a week ago, from her father when he was talking to Mary-Ann. One of his co-workers had told her that Bill was cleaning the last chimney of the night when they all left home for the night. Mary-Ann was still upset about the loss of her husband.

"You think Bill is all right, don't you?" Alice questioned her friends. The two gave each other a worried glance. Whenever Alice asked something like that, they knew whatever answer she got, she would do something to help.

Before they could answer, a scream came. They all sat up straight, looking around everywhere to see where it came from. Alice stood when a bush shook. "Where do you think that came from?" she asked Faith and Fiona, who sat there terrified at what was happening. They all moved their heads when the leaves of the apple tree above shook, then another bush shook soon after. Alice swore she saw a flash of orange. Suddenly Fiona screamed. Alice jolted her body towards her, seeing that Faith was gone. "Go get help." Alice ordered the lone sister before running into the forest.

Which was a thing she shouldn't have done.

"Faith!" Alice called as she ran, her eyes searching. "Faith, answer me! Please! Faith!"

Alice turned when she heard light moans of pain. She ran after it. Low tree branches scratched her face as she ran, finally finding the source. A man was lying in the middle of a burnt meadow. Alice's eyes widened before she ran over to the man.

He was all black, his skin burnt to a crisp. His finer nails were torn out, and some fingers were missing. Skin peeled from his face and hands. A crunching sound was made whenever he moved. His left cheek was gone, showing his jaw bone and skin tissue. An eyeball was missing. Holes, punctured by a dull object, were at his heels, ankles and behind his knee caps. A duster, the ones that they used to sweep chinmeys with, was deep in his back. Blood oozed from his fingers and eye socket. A pleading look was on his face.

"Please...Alice...rid of this pain..." he begged, half moaning, half sobbing. Alice, even though the voice sounded similar, did not regonize the man.

She cupped his face, ignoring the fact that the crunching sound of his skin made her feel like vomiting. She looked straight into his eye. "Who did this to you?" she ordered. "Tell me."

His eye moved vigorously as he searched her face. "Tell my wife I love her."

"No! Tell me who did this to you!"

"He's coming to finish." he whispered, moving his eye away from her view. He looked back at Alice a second later. "Don't ever enter Tulgey Wood again, Alice. He will get you."

Alice felt tears streaming down her face. "Who is 'he'? Please, tell me!" she cried, bringing the crisp man's face closer to her. He was forced to look into her eyes and struggled a gasp.

"You're next."

Alice's eyes widened in fear.

"Run." was the next thing he spoke.

"No! I'm not leaving without you!" she told the man. Alice had forgot the real reason she came into this forbidden forest yet she didn't care. Infact, she didn't care if she was tortured like the poor, dying man infront of her. She couldn't leave him in that state, no matter how scared she was. "I can't leave-!"

"Leave Tulgey Wood!" A Scottish brogue screamed, somewhere from the trees. "Or ye will die as well, lassie!"

She knew for a fact that the voice belonged to the murderer of the poor, crispy man.

Alice shut her eyes tightly in fear. "No!" she screamed back. She regretted the words. Why was she so stubborn? "I am not leaving this man alone with a murderer like you! So, if you want to kill him, go through me first!"

A hot hand gracefully grabbed her neck, calloused skin resting against her smooth neck. The thumb, the most calloused feeling skin, was on her sensitive peice of skin on her neck. Her scar she had since a little girl. Warm breath tingled her ear in heavy breaths. Sending goosebumps down her back and shivers up her spine. Her eyes widened when she realised she brought herself to her end.

"Aye'm not gonna hurt such ah tendah, little creature..._yet_." the Scottish brogue whispered darkly into her ear. She could feel him smile devilishly. "G'night, Luv."

Her eyes widned when she felt a small pain. And slowly she faded into darkness; complete, udder darkness, while screams of pain were heard and the Scottish brogue laughed in pleasure. And, as she fell onto the deceased grass of the meadow, two words passed through her mind.

_You're next..._


	2. II

**_OC: I know you all like my story~~~~~~~~~3_**

**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**

**Alice Red Riding Hood**

**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**

**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**

**Genre: Romance (when _HAVEN'T _I not done romance?)**

**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**

**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**

**Thanks to Mikayla, my buddy, who is ALWAYS the first one to get a sneak peek at the chapters and is my new critic. ;P**

**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**

Alice sat all by her lonesome self in front of the fireplace. It was the middle of the night, more or less one or two o' clock in the morning, and yet she was wide awake. A overly worried expression was written of her face. Her fingers fidgeted with each other unconsciously, a thing she did when she was waiting. A tea tray was set out for her usual evening tea before bed. But she couldn't sleep at a time like this! No, defiantly not. Why?

She was still in horrible fright.

Even after a week (maybe a week, Alice lost count of time since _then_) she was still frightened to move or to do anything. The experience she had witnessed, and wished she hadn't, wouldn't leave her curious mind. It felt like she just tried to help the man a few moments ago, and that murderous madman had touched her not even a few seconds ago. Her skin still burned, and every time she thought of his Scottish brogue and his breath on her skin, she started hyperventilating and her face burned up red. And, as if she couldn't stop thinking about it, all the men in town who were suitable for hunting went into the wood searching for him. It was bad enough that they found the burned man (who was later found out to be Bill) in the area children loved playing in, but now they were taking children into the wood with them! They claimed that not even the most horrible man would harm a child. And they were right, no one came back harmed.

No, that wasn't the worst. Her father was out there right this moment! What if the madman, because she knew (and it haunts her horribly) he wanted her to be his next, knew that her father was out there? What would he do? Leave him? Murder him and send his body back to Alice? Then see if she would come to find him?

"Alice?" asked a voice. "What are you doing up at such a late hour?"

She jolted her body towards the voice. It was her father, looking at her in worry. Alice couldn't contain her relief; she wrapped her arms tightly around Charles. He smiled and wrapped his arms, equally as tight, around his daughter.

Alice pulled back suddenly, a stern look on her face. "What happened? Did you find anything?" _Did you find **him**? _was what she was really asking but knew better than to ask. Charles frowned and sat in the arm chair next to Alice's. He leaned in towards Alice, his fingers intertwining each other.

"Alice," he started. "did you tell me what _exactly_happened in the Tulgey Wood?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion at the random question. "Why?" Alice asked in return. But honestly, she did lie. She didn't tell her father and the other men who searched for, and found, her about everything that happened. She only told them that she found poor, recently deceased, Bill while she was running after Faith (who actually fled the scene and Fiona screamed because something brushed her arm) and tried to help him, and before she did, the madman came and threaten to kill her. She never did tell them that he touched her skin, or how his hot breath was on her sweaty neck, or that he wanted _her_, of all people, to kill next. Alice was too frightened to tell them.

Her father was hesitant, which defiantly was _not_ a good sign.

"Because...because seven of our men foolishly left the group and were killed by that horrible man. For two hours the whole lot of us heard nothing but screams of pain of those men -may they rest in peace-...when we found them..they had no heads, arms or legs and a knife was used to carve words into their flesh. Do you know what those words said, Alice?" Charles asked her. Personally, Alice _did_ want to know, and the thought frightened her.

Her father was hesitant again.

"'_Give me Alice or everyone dies_'..." he mumbled gravely. Charles grabbed his, now scared senseless, daughter's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "Alice, I want you to go into the wood. Do you understand me?"

Alice's eyes widened. Was he letting that horrid madman have her? "You're letting him have me?" she repeated, shocked.

He shook his head. "I want you to enter the wood," he began again, quite firmly. "and kill him. I don't care how, just kill him, Alice. Do this for the town, for future generations, for Aunt Imogene. For _me_."

The blonde girl stood up, looking wild eyed at her father. "I need time to think."

Charles stood up as well. "Whatever you choose, Alice, I will always love you."

With that he kissed his daughter's forehead and headed off to bed. As for Alice, she had the most restless night of her life.

...

_"I don't care how, just kill him, Alice."_

_Alice repeated the words her father told her. She was determined to do what her father asked of her. She could kill this man, by thinking of all the horrible crimes and homicides he committed. He deserved to die. No, he needed to die. It was absolutely necessary. His death would benefit the whole town greatly. It didn't matter if Alice died doing it, it would benefit._

_She looked at the gloomy forest in front of her. One breath in, then out. One breath in, then out. Repeat._

_Her feet moved robotically as she entered the deadly wood, home of the madman. Trees started dying as she passed them, same as the grass and flowers, soon bursting into flames. But the fire produced no light. It still remained dark. And yet, Alice wasn't scared._

_She walked quite a ways. Her expressionless face never changing. She walked until she saw a man sitting on a stump. Dead bodies; some of them with missing limbs or on fire as well as the rest of the forest, surrounded him like people had tossed them to make him happy, like he was a god they worshiped. His clothes were a pair of trousers, worn out shoes, a vest, a button up shirt and a undid bow tie. All were tattered and bloody, other men's blood or course. His hair was a tangled mess of electric orange hair, wolf ears pointed up, hearing for her no doubt. His tail swished around a bit when she walked closer. His face was unseen, just a shadow._

_Then he looked up when she was a few feet away. A smile to mock the devil spread across his unseen face. His eyes bright red. He stood and walked towards her, stepping on the deceased. Every step made her want to finish the distance herself. She wanted this over with._

_He stopped two feet from her and extended his out for hers to take._

_"Will ye like to be next?" he asked her softly, the Scottish brogue barely there._

_She grabbed his hand._

Alice woke with a jolt, sweating and panting. She looked around her room. It was 8 o'clock, her old father clock said. The sun was barely rising. When did she fall asleep? She was just pacing her room a few seconds ago, her mind remembered. Who put her to bed? Her father was well past asleep and no one else lived here but them. She looked over at her wardrobe, seeing that the door was open. Alice got onto her bare feet. Cautiously, she walked over and opened it. A gasp fled from her mouth.

All her clothes were covered in blood.

She even looked at her nightdress, which she didn't recall ever dressing in, and saw that it was covered in blood as well. The blood...it couldn't be hers, could it?

"Alice." a voice cooed.

She jolted towards the sound, seeing that her window was open and something was sitting on her love seat. Alice walked towards it, seeing that the something was her hood, her satin black ribbon and a dress she never seen before. A beautiful blue dress, carefully made. It was dull light blue, a rather handsome shade, with sleeves ending at the elbow. White lace hung around the end of the sleeves and was tied together with a black string. Light blue see-through material covered where the collarbone was gracefully. The bottom blossomed like a new rose bud, and was nipped and tucked with blue see-through lace, and then blossomed more. The end was decorated of patterns of flowers and animals (like rabbits, deer, cats and doves) on two solid black lines. And where the dress used to be, a black corset, the one article of clothing she dreaded most of all, rested on the love seat underneath it.

But, seeing that she had no other choice, Alice slipped the newly discovered dress (and corset) on and walked over to her mirror.

She found out that she looked, which she thought very odd indeed, more beautiful than she usually was. Blue was most defiantly the best color for her to wear... Alice quickly moved her gaze away, pulling her signature hood on in a instant. If she got distracted by her own beauty, imagine what every other bloody person would be like!

Alice grabbed the last item. Her favorite ribbon. Her hands pulled some golden locks back, then tied them together with a bow of the satin fabric. Again, she looked at herself in the mirror. And again, she transferred her gaze elsewhere, pulling her hood over her face.

Suddenly, a knock came at her door.

"Alice?" Charles's voice spoke from the other side of the door. Alice replied, "Yes?" He seemed to pause, as if he expected her not to answer. "Have you made your decision?" he randomly asked her. But, for some reason, Alice knew it was coming her way.

"I have..." Alice answered, pausing as well. A sad sigh left her. "And I shall be leaving very soon."

Charles seemed silent.

"Father?"

"...thank you, Alice. For everything you're about to do." he thanked, barely above a whisper. Alice smiled, tears at the brim of her eyes. "Everyone will miss you greatly, especially those Chattaway girls you love being around so much."

"I know." she said, a little smug. She frowned. Everything was going. She was to have nothing left, not even a life once she entered that forbidden wood. Giving up her life, for the sake of others, to a madman, who wanted her. To harm. To torture. To kill. Even to make her his own personal puppet. Who knows what could horrible death she would have to face from him, what indescribable pain she would have to put through. Yet, she was doing it for the greater good. Everyone would be safe after. Right? "I will miss them all terribly."

"Please be careful." her father warned. This, Alice had to smile at. It sounded so stupid at a moment like this. She was about to be killed, for pity's sake!

"I can't be careful around the devil, Father..."


	3. III

_**OC: Thanks for all the reviews guys! (8+ on the first chapter, holy crap, first time ever!) I'd like to thank all of you, and if you have any ideas for the story, tell me please! I love ideas! Espeically impossible ones! Oh, and, to let you know, I will be doing D*sney version stories of TB Hatter and Alice (Ex/ Cinderella, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Princess and the Frog, Tarzan, etc, etc.), so look forward to that, mmm'kay? Anyway, hope you have fun reading Alice Red Riding Hood. By the way, this chapter's gonna suck boiled eggs, 'kay?**_

**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**

**Alice Red Riding Hood**

**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**

**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**

**Genre: Romance (when **_**HAVEN'T **_**I not done romance?)**

**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**

**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**

**Thanks to Mikayla, my buddy, who is ALWAYS the first one to get a sneak peek at the chapters and is my new critic. ;P**

**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**

"Oh, we will miss you oh-so terribly, Alice!" Fiona cried as she and her sister hugged their best friend tightly. The two sister were in tears, as was Alice. The town behind them were in mixtures of tears and almost tears. Alice was actually surprised to see that _everybody_, even the children, was there. Mary-Ann was there as well, and she hadn't left her house since Bill's dissaperance/death.

You don't understand what is happening, do you? Well...

Once Alice told her father that she _was _going into the horrible wood, home of the madman murderer, so everyone would be safe, they cried and held onto each other for most of the time. They were going to miss each other the greatest. Charles then announced to their town that Alice was sacrificing herself by doing what the madman ordered them of. He never told them that she, the most gentle creature alive, was going to kill the madman to insure their safety. And now they were all here, infront of the wood, saying good-bye to Alice and seeing her for the last time.

The hooded gal hugged the sisters equally as tight. She was happy that noone could see her face, since it was drowning in her tears...but...she wished she could show them her face since she was never going to see them again. It was torture to Alice, never letting anyone see her face. But now she could, she doesn't have to worry about someone proposing to her on the spot. That was a good point of her sacrifice/secret murder. She would never be able to come back.

"Alice." said Mary-Ann, coming forth. The Chattaways let go once she spoke and walked glumly back to their parents with soaked faces.

Alice looked at the now-widowed woman, just to have a basket forced into her hands. She looked down at the basket, wanting to see the contents but they were blocked by a blue cloth. Mary-Ann than leaned into where Alice's ear was and whispered, "I pray that you reach your Aunt Imogene before you die from his stained hands..."

Mary-Ann gave her a small hug before heading back to the crowd. Alice looked at everyone one last time, before raising one of her hands and pulling down her hood. Everyone, including the Chattaways and her father (for they knew something was going on when she did that), gasped from shock or her beauty or both. She smiled sadly, her tears looking as if they were burned into her cheeks.

"I want you to know that I thank all of you for a life anyone would die for, and...I love you all and I will miss you greatly." she told them. When no one replied to her, just stared as if she had fallen from the sky or she had a third eye, Alice pulled her hood up again. Then she turned on her heel and entered the wood. And soon she was engulfed by the evil shadows, and became a forgotten memory...

...

The woods seemed darker when you were looking at it from the outside. Who knew that there was actually some _life_ surviving in this blood-stained wood. Alice had spotted a few squirrels scamper about, some birds soaring up above the trees and even plants, like flowers, growing by trees or a little far off the path she was on. She was tempted a few times to wander off and pick some of Aunt Imogene's favorite flowers for her. Violets.

But now wasn't the time to do that. Once she killed that monsterous man, she could pick all the flowers a single person could in a lifetime!

Alice sighed. _If_ she killed the man was more like it. Now the truth was slapping her right in the face. _How _can she kill this man? When Alice thought more and more about him, and his tale, he was just an ordinary man, a hatter to be exact, that had anger problems. So what if he made people scream bloody murder? So what that he stalked the woods day and night to fufill his dark needs? A man stole his hat! Stole his beloved hat and ran away! He caused this problem, he's the reason all of this is happening!

_Do __**not**__ think like this, Alice dear! You are killing him for the greater good!_ Alice told herself hastily. Her thoughts were absolutely true though. It doesn't matter _who _stole the hat. All that matters is that that madman is murdering people left and right!

But the question repeated itself once again. _How _can she kill this man? She forgot to bring any source of weapondry with her. No sharp stick, no knife, no anything! Not unless her beauty counts as a weapon. If it did, she may very well kill the beast. But how can one beat something senseless with beauty? It was surely impossible. _No, no, no! You dunce!_ her thoughts screamed at her. Oh, yes, that's right. Beauty is the weapon of distraction. She could pull down her hood, distract him as she grabbed something and kill him! Finally, something her beauty was good for.

Now that she had planned it...where was he?

Alice looked around her, not wanting to wander off the path. But found nothing and turned forward to venture on.

It was nearing dark, making her think how long she had been wandering along down the path. When was he coming? Her hometown was probally wondering why they haven't heard any screams of horror or pain yet. If they were still standing there. Did they _want_ to know that Alice had screamed before she died? What her scream would sound? How far it would echo out? Or even how she was murdered? Did they want to know such things?

Now was a time she wondered how her father was doing.

Was he standing outside the wood, waiting for her to come back? Or was he at their home, sitting by the fireplace with tea by his side, staring into the flames, realising that he had lost everything he had ever loved? Or was he in her room, remembering all her childhood memories? Or did he find all of her clothes covered in the blood of others? Realising that every dress covered in blood was every person the madman murdered like she had? She started wondering how her closest friends were doing. Were they still crying for her? Oh, how she missed everyone so very much.

Suddenly a scream broke through the silent night air (_When did it turn pitch black?_ Alice asked herself.). Alice turned in the direction of the scream and ran after it. It sounded like a woman. Alice thought of the worse. Was it one of the Chattaways who followed her to force her to come home? Tears brimmed her eyes at the thought of one of her best friends dying because of her.

A bright light was growing closer, making her squint from the sudden impact of light. But Alice kept running towards it.

Then she was there.

And the bright light was a fire, burning one poor soul alive.

Without thinking, Alice jumped through the flames and ran towards the person. The source of the scream, it was a woman like she thought, groped for something to grab onto. Alice gave her her hand, not caring of the hot skin burning her own.

"A...Alice..." she sobbed, screaming in agony. Alice looked up at the woman's face with wide eyes. Even though it was on fire, she could still some of the details of the face. It was Mary-Ann. Mary-Ann had followed her into the wood. Didn't she know that she was to be murdered once she stepped foot? Oh, that idiotic tailor! "Y-you're father told me...what you were...were going to do. And you didn't have anything to...kill him...with..."

"That doesn't explain _why_ you came into the wood, Mary-Ann." Alice told her sternly, tears running down her cheeks.

Mary-Ann struggled to bring her other arm forward, and in it deeply was a knife. "Take it." she ordered when Alice just stared at it with horror. Alice nodded and did what she was told. Once she did, Mary-Ann burst into flames, making Alice jump backwards in fear.

"Mary-Ann!" she yelled over her screams of pain. Tears didn't come now, they were dehydrated from the heat, so she just stared at the burning woman in horror. Then everything went black.

...

Alice moaned in pain, grabbing her head, as she opened her eyes. Her eyes were sore, red and puffy. She looked at herself, and grimanced when she saw she was covered in soot. Everything was a blur. What happened to her? Where was she? _Who_ was she? Wait...Mary-Ann. She was burned alive, but why? Alice squinted her eyes when tried to remember everything. Was she a witch? No...then Alice wouldn't have risked her life in the flames to save her. Unless Alice was a witch herself.

_Stop this nonsense, Alice! _she told herself. Alice? Was that her name? Her head started hurting from all the thinking and confusion. But it didn't matter _why_ Mary-Ann was killed, she knew that she was in a better place and in safety. Maybe she was with a loved one now.

"Well, well, if it isn't Sleeping Beauty awake."


	4. IV

**_OC: I should say that I'm sorry that I didn't bring her into the Tugley Wood in chapter 2, and sorry for the cliffy (you guys were angry 'bout that XC). But I don't want -or have- too. Haha. But hope you enjoyed it anyway, my awesome reviewers! :3 'specially you, Niphuria and madhattress1314!_**

**_I mean exactly what I write for Tarrant's brougue, by the way. Even if it sounds funny._**

**_Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX_**

**_Alice Red Riding Hood_**

**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**

**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**

**Genre: Romance (when _HAVEN'T _I not done romance?)**

**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**

**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**

**Thanks to Mikayla, my buddy, who is ALWAYS the first one to get a sneak peek at the chapters and is my new critic. ;P**

**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**

Alice looked at the creature above her, wide-eyed in horror.

It was a cat.

A big fat tabby cat, laying lazily on the branch above her. He (Alice supposed it was a 'he', for it sounded like a boy when it spoke...if it was the one who spoke) was covered in ash grey fur and such vibrant blue stripes that they looked like they were glowing. Wide turquoise eyes looking at her in amusement. One of his paws swung off the dead branch as his tail swished side to side. But Alice noticed the sly grin on the cat's fluffy face most of all.

"Did you speak?" Alice asked the cat in curiosity and fear. The cat's grin expanded, making her think that his face was going to explode. "If you keep smiling like that, it'll stay like that forever."

"Too late for that, Love." the cat told her, grinning even wider. Alice got up and stood away from the odd creature. Cats who could smile, her father would love to hear of this when she went home. She frowned at the thought. _If _she went home. "It seems whenever I smile, you frown. Why is that?" he asked her, appearing infront of her face. Alice shrieked and fell backwards at the sudden notion the cat just displayed, and the fact that it was just a head now. "Something the matter?"

She looked at the cat in fear, her mouth wide open. After awhile, the cat disappeared and reappeared on the branch again.

"I should be telling you the warning now, unless you plan on catching a fly in that mouth of yours first." he said after a moments silence.

Alice shut her mouth and stood, picking up her basket underneath the cat's branch, and the knife that sat beside it. She looked back at the creature in a waiting gesture. The cat grinned wide again.

"Stay on the path." he told her. Alice looked at the cat blankly.

"Was that the warning?"

He rolled onto his back, as if he was just an ordinary cat, and scratched his back on the branch. He shut his eyes in pleasure, a loud purr echoing through the trees. "Do not venture off, not for anything. Do not stop, only walk faster. Do not go backwards, only forwards. But it's not much of a warning if it's common sense to a petty village girl like you, isn't it?" He continued.

"Petty?" Alice exclaimed at the cat. She crossed her arms her over her chest. "You wouldn't be saying that if I had brought Dinah along with me."

How could she say that? Dinah was her beloved pussy cat, a cat that was now the proper age to have kittens. She was covered in sandy brown fur, with white that started on her bottom jaw and ran along her stomach, and white paws. She also had big blue eyes that grew brighter in the sun. A bright red ribbon was tied around her neck with a bow infront. In the bow was a bell. A bell that sounded like a sweet lulaby whenever she pranced around. If Alice had brought along Dinah, she would be murdered as well. And Alice couldn't even handle the thought of that.

The cat infront of her perked up his ears at the mention of Dinah's name. He looked at her with a curious look. "Is Dinah your cat?"

Alice smiled. "Indeed she is." She turned on her heal to venture on into the dark woods. "But I really do not think she likes plump cats like yourself." And with that said, she left the cat with a sly smile of her own stretching her face.

...

It was nearing nightfall once more, a beautiful sight in the wood. Yet Alice could complain of a hundred, maybe even a million, things right at the moment. These horrible obstacles (she found them obstacles) were... 1) Her tiredness, even though she had slept through most of the morning and noon. 2) Her basket, which seemed to grow heavier with each step. 3) Her feet were aching and she was sure she was gaining blisters (_Damn boots, _she had thought.). And 4) She could not even remember a bloody thing but her name!

What was it with this wood? She could not remember why she even went into the wood in the first place. It was so very aggravating!

Alice looked around. If only she could meet that cat again. That idiotic, smart-tongue, blistering, grinning, fat pussy cat! Ugh, he just makes her want to pull every strand of her golden curls out, one by one too! She gritted her teeth.

Wait, what was that?

The blonde heroine glanced over to the flash of blue she saw (was it the cat?). She looked at it in confused stare. It was a wild bunch of flowers. Violets, to be exact. Mixed with some blue and orange roses. Alice felt oddly fascinated by them. It was curiosity nipping at her toes again.

She looked around. Obviously not a single soul, dead or alive, was anywhere near around her or the area. It wouldn't hurt anybody if she wandered off the path to pick a bouquet of flowers for herself. And they were so very tempting. She looked around once more. Then took one step off the path and towards the flowers.

Alice picked each flower with care. Violets were first. She gently pulled the shy purple flower buds out of the moist soil and placed them ontop of the blue cloth of her basket. Then came the orange roses. She was extremely catious as she plucked the thorned beauties. And finally she started on the blue ones. Which they had to be her favorite color, no doubt. They held a strong aura, a beautful feeling, around them. They gave you a mixture of feelings. Blue was generally a color of sorror and grief, as was the color black, but a rose symbolised love. She felt the blue rose connect to her. Was it that she was destined to sorrowful life without love? She could never know. Fate were a tricky bunch of hags. Who liked to tease and pester mere mortals.

A sudden pain filled her. She screeched, dropping the currently picked blue rose, and stuck her finger in her mouth to suck the blood away. Curse her for losing herself in her thoughts. It caused her to prick her index on a sharp thorn. Roses were also dangerous little buggers.

She stood, grabbing her basket, now full of various flowers, and turned to go back onto the path. A gasp escaped her mouth.

The path...it disappeared.

Not a moment after she turned around, she was pulled, more like _forced_, and pushed hurtfully into the old bark of a burnt tree. A hot hand still resided on her wrist tightly, she may even gain a bruise later. The other hand pinned her from going anywhere. Red devil eyes burned hatred into her brown ones. She gasped in fear as everything came back to her.

She was wandering aimlessly around Tulgey Wood, for more or less two days, searching for the mass madman murderer who haunted her beloved village. Mary-Ann was not a witch, but a tailor, and come after her because she had known about her and her father's secret plan, and was burned like her husband. Stabbed as well. Alice had took the knife because she was asked too, and it was the weapon she needed. She needed to kill the madman.

But it was too late. Far too late.

He had her, and she, literally, was going to be dead meat.

His nose brushed against her cheek. He seemed to be inhaling her scent, that horrible fragrance of burning flesh and plants. His lips grazed her ear, murmuring words that Alice could not comprehend. It was some sort of foreign tongue.

"Well, well, well..." he mumbled darkly in her ear. It sounded like a yell to her eardrum, making Alice flinched at the sound. "Who do we 'ave 'ere... Goldilocks?" His body rumbled, a slight shudder in his body, a he chuckled. "Nah, sumthin' much more prettier. _Alice._"

In that moment, she truly felt as if her name was a curse. Like Shakespeare's play, _Macbeth._

He smiled devilishly at her silence. "Aye taught tat bluddy cat told ye to stay on teh path. Wot a naughteh little angel ye are, _Alice_."

Did that horrible man just deem her an angel? A little saint? Alice was _defiantly_ not an angel. An angel doesn't wander cursed woods to kill a murderer.

"Let meh ask a simple question, lassie..." he told her. Alice waited for the question. "'ave ye seen meh beloved 'at?"

She shook her head timidly. She didn't even know what his bloody hat looked like!

He seemed to be starting a new subject now. "Ye know, _Alice_," she cringed "ye realleh are such a pretteh little gurl. It realleh _is _such a shame tat ye 'ad to sacrifice yerself."

_Just keep ranting, you devil... _Alice thought as she started reaching for the knife in the basket without being noticed. It was only a few mere inches away... Only a few more seconds to spare and she could grab the knife and kill him.

Until her hand grazed his and he pulled his head away from her in a instant. He looked deeply into her eyes. There was flash of green, to pink, then to green again. Alice was stunned. Did she just witnessed that odd yet curious event?

His bright green eyes gazed down at her hand, looking past the delicate fingers, to the knife handle in the basket. She could see his eyes flash back to red. The fiery pit of hell called his eyes.

He looked back up at her and glared. His body rippledas a growl echoed through the woods. And he slammed her against the burnt tree with such great of force that Alice fell unconscious once more.


	5. V

_**OC: I gladly thank ALL of you for reviewing my story. And I hope all of you join the contest, cuz I know you guys are artists! I don't care if you draw stick people, by the way, -cough- Niphuria-cough-. I just want you to have fun. And please tell me about it when you DO enter. Thanks!**_

_**Oh. sorry for the wait. I was being incredibly lazy, and Writer's Block ain't helping one bit. lol.**_

_**Again, thanks to madhattress1314 and Niphuria!**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

_**Alice Red Riding Hood**_

_**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**_

_**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**_

_**Genre: Romance (when HAVEN'T I not done romance?)**_

_**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**_

_**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**_

_**Thanks to Mikayla, my buddy, who is ALWAYS the first one to get a sneak peek at the chapters and is my new critic. ;P**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

Pain. That's all Alice was felt the moment she opened her eyes.

Maybe it was from the sunlight pouring from the window above her head. Maybe it was the growing ache her poor noggin was facing. Or maybe it was even her sore back from when she was slammed up against the tree. It could even be her bruised wrist (she was right, she did gain a bruise).

Alice sat up cautiously. Where was she?

No doubt she was in a room. A room that wasn't cleaned up very well though. The floor was covered in a horribly-knitted rug that didn't cover the engraved scratches very nicely. The walls were covered in marks as well. The vanity had a shattered mirror. The wardrobe had one of the doors off its hinges, having some of the clothes and hats exploding out and onto the floor. The bed she was on had tattered sheets and blankets and even the pillow was puking out stuffing. The headboard was snapped in half (how in the world can someone snap that thick of wood in half?). And the window above her head had no glass.

She, cautiously, swung her feet off the side of the bed. Alice cringed at the moans it made. Then her eyes caught an odd sight.

There was a tray of breakfast on the nightstand beside the bed.

Cracked dishes held two eggs. By it was a chipped tea cup that was still warm. Toasted bread and a butter dish were by the utensils. The utensils were on a deep blue handkerchief beside a cracking glass vase full of her roses she had picked.

She looked over at the door. There was a small hope someone would walk through it and save her from….well, wherever she is.

Ignoring the small ounce of hope, she grabbed the fork and started eating the eggs. Common sense was telling her that the eggs could've been poisoned and that she should refuse to eat the prepared meal. But the _smarter _common sense was telling her she was hungry and she should eat it with thanks. Not eating for days can make one delusional, don't you know.

Once she was finished all the meal, she stood. Her boots sounded against the hardwood as she walked over to the door. She grasped the handle and turned. The door creaked, quite loudly, as it opened slowly by itself.

She poked her head out. The room she was in lead into a small hallway with, what Alice could see, three other rooms and a sitting room. It wasn't anything fancy, like she was used too. In fact, it was old and aging. But it had a very nice touch to it.

"Alice?" came a voice. It sounded old and frail….and very familiar. Alice walked over to it, down the hallway, and into the sitting room. There she found a messy head of greying hair barely grazing the top of the love seat. It turned slightly at the sound of Alice's boots. "Alice, is that you, dear?"

"Aunt Imogene?"

It was another small ounce of hope she wished could choke down. But the voice sounded like her dear sick aunt. And Aunt Imogene was the only person alive that called her both by her name and 'dear'.

The owner of the head of hair stood, facing Alice with a smile.

"Oh, Alice dear, it _is _you!" she gasped as she walked towards her startled niece and wrapped her arms tightly around her. "You've grown so much…."

Alice was still stunned. Her aunt didn't look very ill, a little loony, but not ill. And if she was very ill, she shouldn't be up and about. In bed, she must be!

But she did not care much for the thought and hugged her dear aunt back. And suddenly, she remembered something. Where was this madman who had made her lose conscious?

"Auntie…" Alice stooped down to call. She had never called her 'auntie' unless she wanted to know something. Imogene knew it as well. "May I ask who brought me here?"

Imogene pulled back and sat back down on the couch. She started sipping her tea like her niece hadn't even entered the sitting room. Alice sat down beside her, grabbing her free hand. "Please, tell me? I would very much like to know."

It was still very silent. Imogene sighed, almost making Alice jump, and answered, "A friend."

Alice wasn't satisfied. "Is your friend male or female, pray tell?"

"He is male." She bluntly answered.

Her niece pushed forward. "How old is he?"

"He is twenty-eight."

"What is he like?"

Aunt Imogene didn't answer that one. She looked down at her tea in sorrow. "Even _I _do not know, " she began softly. Her gaze traveled to the fireplace where pictures were resting above. "what my dear friend is like. I just know he is burdened with a great sadness yet he has f-"

"Aye see tat Sleepin' Beauteh 'as awoken." came a rough voice, interrupting Imogene. Alice's eyes widened as fear froze her in place. The voice's footsteps creaked against the wood and he stopped behind the couch the two women sat on. Alice looked at his shadow. Seeing the voice's figure. It was tall, muscular and torned at the edges, where his clothes must be. His hair spread out an inch away from where his face was. And his wolf ears, she could horribly see, rested on top of his head, like the devil's horns. "Ye not goin' to speak? Especialleh afteh tat stunt ye pulled?"

Alice felt like she shrinking down to the size of a pea after every word he spoke.

When he notice he uneasiness, he let out a throaty laugh. "Wot? Do aye make ye nervous, lassie?" he teased. Imogene seemed to glare.

"I suggest you leave my niece alone." she barked at the man. Alice was stunned by her aunt's attitude towards the mutated murderer.

He, on the other hand, found it funny. But instead of telling her to hold her tongue, "May aye get ye anodder tea cup for teh lassie?" was what he spoke instead. Which surprised Alice more than anything.

When Imogene nodded 'yes', he left the room. Alice was still stunned for words as her brain tried to comprehend what was happening. But before she could even know, he strode back in with another tea-cup for her, like he had said. He placed the tea-cup beside the tea-pot on the foot table and sat in the love-seat closest to Alice. His ruby eyes watching her intently.

The room was very silent as Alice poured herself a cup of tea.

She rose the cup to her lips and took a sip. She closed her eyes from the blissful taste it produced, and let out a content sigh. It was a very exotic taste. To be exact, it was the Chinese tea her father had gotten her in the next town a ways down, from a traveling merchant. Jasmine tea, it was named. It tasted so beautifully, and added in was her twist of cinnamon and mint.

Alice wondered how her aunt had found out. After all, she has been ill and all.

She let a smile play on her face.

"What are you smiling about, Missy?" Imogene asked, nudging her niece in her rib cage. Alice placed her cup down and smiled widely at the elder woman.

"I was just wondering how you found out about my favorite flavor of tea." Alice simply answered. "I was also surprised that you even knew about my cinnamon and mint twist."

Imogene gave her a funny look. "I didn't make the tea. I am ill, recall? I would not let you drink from an ill woman's tea-pot."

"Then who made it?"

A small burst of laughter erupted from the hatter. He stood up with a mad grin plastered on his pale face. He mocked a bow. "Why, _aye _did, Ladeh Kin'sleh."


	6. READ IF YOU LIKE THIS STORY

Hey, this is just a bug rant on WHY I'm not updating so quickly like I use to. SO LISTEN UP AND COMMENT ON THIS IF YOU LOVE MY DAMN STORY...kay? :)

Okay, first of all. Like I have said in the chapter before this...I'm incredibly lazy. No seriously. You might say, "Well, everybody's lazy." BUT I'M SUPER MOTHER F***ING LAZY! I'm also getting Writer's Block on this story. Which is seriously bumming out my mellow jello (okay, WTF?). I HATE Writer's Block.

School's also been hasslin' me. Me and Mikayla have to work on this project about Athens. But, since stupid gods-damn Winter is rearing its ugly make-you-go-blind-from-pure-white-snow face, I`m getting sick left and right! You might think that`s good cuz I have more time for writing...BUT YOU`RE WRONG! I sleep most of the time when I`m sick.

I also submitted another story. My Nightmare Before Christmas story, called `Lament`. Me and Mikayla started thinking on this idea for quite a few months and I finally started to write in down. So...yeah. It began when she seen a picture I drew of me in Halloween Town. (Actually, my recent stories have all been activated by pictures I draw!)

Oh yeah, I`ve been seeing in my hotmail that people keep on faving and alerting my story. I have something to say to you...REVIEW DAMMIT. I`m guys are probally my main problem. Because if people ain`t reviewin`, author ain`t writin`. It`s as simple as that, buddy. And I don`t review either, but it`s only because the stories are complete. But if you want me to review, I`ll review.

Another thing...I NEED AN INSPIRATION! I might acutally start reading Beauty and the Beast by GothicFaery94 again if I get my muse back. Or maybe I`ll start watching walkthoughs of American Mcgee`s Alice. That is one sick game. It`s gorey for a 2000 computer game...well, I think so. If you don`t know what it is, go Google it up. It will blow your mind...or ruin your thoughts of the once magical place called Wonderland, the place you thought was the sweetest place in the universe.

Okay, thanks for listenin`to my rant. And if you didn`t... GO READ IT!

_**Fairfarren for now,**_

_** ocmaker101**_

_** Tara**_


	7. VI

**_OC: Hope you all enjoy! I'd also like to thank you guys for reviewing my rant. LOL. I also forgot to mention I have a kitten now, who tries to eat my charger cord and step on the buttons, her name is Cheshire. :) (I know, I'm freaking OBSESSED!) Anyway, glad you guys are reading my story. I'm sorry for acting a little bit selfish (agree, wanting more reviews is selfish!). But now I'm only going to write for you guys who DO review and for people who review later on. You all rock. Now...read on._**

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

_**Alice Red Riding Hood**_

_**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**_

_**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**_

_**Genre: Romance (when HAVEN'T I not done romance?)**_

_**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**_

_**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**_

_**Thanks to Mikayla, my buddy, who is ALWAYS the first one to get a sneak peek at the chapters and is my new critic. ;P**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

Alice did not know which frightened her more.

The fact that the murderous madman knew things about her, or what said madman looked like.

His clothes, or what was left of them, only covered half his torso and his lower body, down to his knee caps. A dark blue shirt had only three buttons that held his shirt on. His right sleeve slid off his shoulder and covered the rest of his arm. The left sleeve was ripped at the shoulder. Also on the left side of the shirt, was ripped at the ribs and torn at the bottom. Blood covered his arms, while three scars, white from age, etched on his right arm. His trousers ended at his knees. Dark brown was the color. He wore blood-drenched socks covered by withered shoes. A long tail swished back and forth from behind him.

Unlike the rest of his pale body, his face looked almost...well, Alice could not name a word for it. It couldn't have been normal, since there was those giant furry ears on-top of his head of electric orange hair. His lips were blood red, and the mad grin on his face showed his fangs. Alice could swear those things could rip through human flesh in one bite. His cheek bones were a dark shade of purple, with only a few droplets of blood on one of the cheeks. His eyebrows were odd, orange like his hair, but long and bushy. Yet...they were cute, in some strange way. Around his eyes were pitch black, spiraling into the eye like a black-hole. At the center of the black-hole, was his eyes. Like every time she saw them, they were tinted red with anger, hatred and blood-lust. They looked at her intently, watching her expression change to horror.

But over-all, Alice knew anyone could smell that odorous scent of a thousand's deaths that radiated off of him.

"Ye like what ye see?" he teased, taking a step closer towards her. Imogene stood at once, a furious expression on her face. The madman looked at her.

"_Tarrant_!" she exclaimed him, anger fuming in her word.

"Wot?" 'Tarrant' growled back in return. The two were glaring daggers at one another with such hate that Alice felt truly frightened. "Aye'm onleh askin'! 'Cuz eff ye 'adn't noticed, she's gonna be furr awhile!"

"I know that, Tarrant!" Imogene yelled. "But I do not want my neice frightened senseless by you!"

'Tarrant' let out a irritated growl. "AYE'M ALL READEH FRIGHTIN' ENOUGH!" he screamed, barring his fangs. He then walked out the room in a rush. Not a second later, a door being loudly slammed shut was heard. Alice looked at her aunt again when she sat down. The blonde did not know why her frightened heart pounded in her chest with a hundred beats per second. He just asked her a question...and then growled at her aunt.

Alice wanted to stand up as well, but she felt very weak at the moment. She just looked down at the shaking tea cup in her hands. Somehow, she hadn't felt as frightened as she look. Her heart was pounding, yes...but not of fear. Her head started to hurt again. _No more of this thinking... _Alice scolded herself. _Your head still hurts from earlier...from when he... _She looked at her aunt, who was looking at her too with worry and concern in her old eyes.

She could not help it, Alice bursted into tears.

...

Tarrant slammed his fists angrily against the walls, then scraping his claw-like finger nails down the old wood. Shavings fell softly to the floor. The madman started doing the same to the other walls, clawing and scratching and growling like no more tomorrow. The wardrobe next to him was soon slammed down onto the floor. He, after slumping down infront of his broken bed, placed his right hand flat against the nightstand. A name was deeply ingraved into the wood. Tarrant placed his forehead against the name.

"Alice..." he whispered softly. Why couldn't he behave himself around her? He knew Imogene saw that look on his face, in his eyes, which is why she looked so fumed. She knew what he would do to her if she didn't stop him in time. "It'z not like aye'd evur hurt teh lassie..." he mumbled to himself. He glanced down at his hands, seeing the calloused skin and his 'claws'. _Not on purpose ofcourse... _Tarrant let out a sigh.

Suddenly, his ears perked up. As soon as they did, a knock came at his door.

"Enturr." he growled. Now when he thought about, he did not want anyone to bother him at the moment. He would rather go kill a squirrel or skin that blasted cat.

That is what he thought until he saw his guest.

"Miss Kin'sleh?"

He found it odd, seeing her at his door. But there she was, in all her beautiful glory. He noticed that she wasn't wearing her hood, or even the dress, anymore. She wore a nightgown, it was a creamy white color. With ruffles here and there. _Must be one of Imogene's_... Tarrant thought. Her golden curls were pulled back behind her shoulders, showing her face more. The corners of hers lips were perked up a bit where one dimple showed itself, he realised she was smiling. But her eyes, those beautiful brown orbs, were red and puffy. They looked really sore too. He looked down at her hands, seeing a tray of tea.

Tarrant didn't move as Alice walked over to him and sat down, setting the tray between them. There she poured him a cup of tea, it smelled like his favorite. She handed him the cup and he, hesitant at first, took it. He took a thanking sip while she poured herself a cup. It was indeed his favorite flavor. Chocolate mint, but it tasted different. She must have added cinnamon, her being so used to making tea with her added twist. It tasted good.

The two sat in silence until Tarrant spoke. "'ow did ye know tis iz me favurite flavur?" he asked gently, so she wouldn't be scared of him. He didn't want her scared of him. He wanted her to be his friend, if anything.

Alice raised a brow, putting the cup away from her face. "It is only fair that I should know things about you, since _you_, apparently, know more things about me then my own father." she answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "Besides, it wasn't hard to figure it out once Aunt Imogene told me interesting things about you."

This, Tarrant raised a brow at. "She told ye stuff 'bout aye?" When she nodded, he continued. "Well, ain't tat sweet of her."

"Aunt Imogene _is _very sweet. She has always been like a mother to me." Alice paused, looking as if she would cry again. "Then, she got ill...and had to move out into the wood."

She looked at him with an apologetic eyes. "Sorry..." she whispered. Tarrant had to chuckle, leaning back into the nightstand.

"Nuthan' to worreh 'bout, Miss Kin'sleh." he assured. "Infact, _aye _should be teh-"

"Alice." she inturrupted. He casted her a confused look. She laughed slightly. "I want you to call me Alice."

His eyes widened, ears standing up straight. She wanted him to call her by her name. She _wanted_ it! It's only been a few hours since he made her go unconcious, taken her to her aunt's home, and woke up, then being apart of a arguement. He even killed villagers that she knew! Hell, it took Imogene two and a half years before she warmed up to him and said it was okay to call he by her name. But Alice, she has been in so much in just the past couple weeks, him being the cause of it! Why would she want him to call her by her name? And start acting friendly towards him? Oh, did you hear the way her laugh sounded?

He smirked. "All right, aye'll call ye Alice..._Alice._"

She didn't cringe of flinch like she did in the forest when he said her name. She only smile at him. It was a small smile, bigger than when she first walked in, and showed both her dimples. Tarrant thought it looked beautiful.

"Ye can call me Turrent if ye'd like." he told her. She smiled widely, gaining a full out smile.

"I would really like that, Tarrant." she replied. Tarrant smiled back at her. "You make good tea by the way. Even better than my own."

Tarrant chuckled. "Nah, aye think _ye _make teh best tea."

She placed her tea cup on the tray. "It is getting really late, Tarrant. I should be heading off to bed before Aunt Imogene catches me in here." she urgently told him silently, like it was a secret. "Good night."

Alice stood, wiping her nightgown off and started walking silently to the door. Once she reached the door, she turned and look at him. "I will see you in the morning?"

Tarrant's smile widened. "Aye promise ye."

Satisfied, she left the room.

* * *

_**OC: How was it? Good, bad? OMIGODS ANSWER ME! I wanted this chapter to be long but I also wanted to get in finished today. And since I have to go back to school this afternoon, one needed to get on the next train to -maybe- the next chapter. Or get in a crash and die...GRIM SUBJECT! I also hope this wasn't rushed looking, or things were happening too fast. But incase you haven't noticed, Tim's Alice doesn't just sit and let things walk over her. I wasn't going to let her pout in her room and kick and scream like Tarrant's the bad guy...well, he is, but y'know what I mean! I'll make her a cry-baby because she was in the book. That's it. I find Tim's Alice very mature and will handle things her own way. THAT'S MY EXCUSE.**_


	8. VII

**_OC: Okay, look, I'm UBER sorry for the extra long wait. Just don't kill me. At least I'm posting something, correct? But still, I'm sorry. I'll start working on the eighth chapter when I have the time. Haha, but at the current moment, I'm starting a new story. It's not an Alice in Wonderland story. It's Harvest Moon. I'm also working on a Harvest Moon game-comic. Which means I'll be creating characters and practicing comic skills._**

**_So, enjoy this very short chapter!_**

**_-I DON'T OWN AIW-

* * *

_**

"So, Tarrant, what are your hobbies?"

The mutant man looked at her with a raised brow, his tea cup half-risen towards his lips. Alice was gazing at him with a curious stare. "Ain't got nun." he grunted before taking a sip of his tea.

"Do not lie to me." she told him, glaring ever so slightly at him. "I can smell a liar."

"An' Aye can smell a roastin' 'am frum miles uhway."

Alice couldn't help but start laughing at his statement. Oh, Lord, how did he get in this perdicament? Tarrant shouldn't be feeling like this. He was atleast glad that he had the sense to sit on the floor across from her, so she could have space and he didn't frighten her. The two had been getting very well since a couple days since she first arrived, he even kept his anger and feelings in check. But now he wished he did not make her laugh. Now, he also wished he could have his way with her at the moment. Tarrant mentally slapped himself. He should _not_ be thinking like this! Espeically about her!

Oh, Lord, why does it have to be her?

Alice stopped laughing when she saw the expression on his face. She coughed in embarressment and took a sip of her tea. Her cheeks were tinted red. _A lady shouldn't laugh so loudly, _she scolded herself.

"Wot arr yur 'obbies, Alice?" she heard Tarrant ask her. Alice looked at him, slight confusion. "Aye'll tell ye mine eff ye tell Aye yurs."

Alice smiled at him. "I like that idea, Tarrant." she agreed, setting her tea cup down. While pouring more tea, she continued, "Well, I like reading novels. There's also playing games and solving riddles."

"Wot a coincidence, Aye like maken ridduls." he confessed. He scooted closer to her, with a look of pure madness and joy on his face, when she looked at him with amusement. "Why iz a ravuhn like a writen desk?"

Alice started thinking. She mused the words over and over in her head, thinking of a possible answer. This was a riddle she hadn't heard of before... And she had heard plenty of riddles. The blonde sighed in defeat, after a minute or two. "I do not know. What is the answer?"

"Aye wouldn't know." Tarrant answered without any hesitation. He gazed at Alice's features. Scrunched up nose, squinted eyes, low brow, a small pout to her lips. He almost started laughing. She looked like a angry child!

"Why would you create a riddle with no answer?" she whined, crossing her arms over her chest.

Tarrant grinned madly at her. "Not knowen _iz _an answur. It'z just not a creative one."

Alice did not seem like she liked that answer, but she took it as such anyway. Now she cocked her head to the side and looked at him with a curious stare. "How did you become mad?"

His eyebrows rose at the question, but looked away and took a sip of his tea. When she repeated the question, he glared lightly at her. "Ye're a curious gal, aren't ye?" he growled at her. "_But _eff ye 'ave to know... Aye use to be a 'atta."

"Ah."

"Yus."

"So, how did you become who are now?" she questioned. "I know that the glue used to make hats only make you mad. So is the rumor true about someone stealing your hat and-"

Alice stopped talking when she heard glass breaking and Tarrant's sudden appearance infront of her. His body towered above, casting a shadow over his face. Dark, but not dark enough to see his devil eyes flaming down at her in hatred, anger and hurt.

Wait a second...hurt? Why was he hurt? Did something else happen beside someone stealing his hat? Did remembering what happened, hurt him?

"Aye, sumone stole me beloved 'at." he informed her, still glaring. "But tat ain't teh reasun Aye'm like tis, lassie. No, it'z much more tan tat."

Then he left.

...

He wanted nothing more to do than to just slam his fist into a sturdy tree. A great big oak. That would calm him. Maybe, most likely. Tarrant knew that if that little ball of fur appearing, he'd be satisfied with punching his snout in.

A low growl erupted from his throat. Alice... How _dare _she ask a question like that? Something so personal! He had never asked her anything about _her _life! He hadn't ask why she was so curious. He hadn't asked why he felt like he had the need to ravish her within ways that people of her innocence would be truly red in the face just by the thought!

"Now, now, Tarrant, it was just a question." said a very sly voice. Tarrant turned towards the voice, seeing a shimmer in the air before a streaked cat appeared on the branch above him. "You needn't to be running away like a dog with it's tail between its legs."

The madman's eyes narrowed at the sight, and the words, of the speaking feline. "Sayz teh cowurd who left hiz frunds tuh die an'-"

"Let the little one leave? Why must you hold a grudge for so long, Tarrant? It is soooo," he paused. Was it for the dramatics, or was the cat actually searching for a word in his pea-brain? Tarrant almost scoffed out loud. Dramatics of course, always wanting to put on an act. "immature of you."

That little word reminded him of something long gone. He glared. "Go away, ye bludy cat." he muttered before turning away and continuing to walk.

Unfourtunately, the cat decided to come back.

"Tarrant, stop being so angry. The past is done with, what said is said-"

"AYE SAID 'GO AWAY', YE MONGREL!" his scottish brogue felt more powerful, so much more intense from the mere presence of the cat. He didn't like to be disobeyed. He just wanted the cat to leave him be. Why couldn't the bloody thing see that?

The two enemies stared at each other with such rage and hatred that eveything around them was silent and was either watching with curiousity or running away in fear.

Suddenly the silence was cut off from an ear peircing scream that it even left the madman in fear. But his fear was diferent, he knew who produced the terrifying scream.

"Alice!"

...

Alice never felt so odd before in her life. The way that man stormed out of the room with his angry look, it scared her. It gave her a new feeling. Something she hadn't felt before. It almost felt like...like a part of her being was crushed. She wanted to go find him, but her mind told her to stay put where it was safe.

But where was safe?

That _should _have been an easy question. In fact, she knew that being back in her hometown would be where she was safest, but now she was doubting the safety of home. All her life she felt safe there with her father. Now everything was getting all wronged up. She now felt safest with Tarrant, her beast.

Alice's eyes widened.

"M-my?"

She stood up, a sudden feeling spreading through her. Alice started towards the door of the little house that her aunt owned. Her hand yanked it opened and ran out into the dark forest of the night. Why was she running from her safety? No, she was running _to _her safety. To the madman of the wood. To _her _Tarrant.

Her feet acted as if they knew the way. She used her hands to swish away low branches and lift her dress off the dirt floor.

"Tarrant!" she yelled out into the darkness. There was a small hope that he would hear her. She prayed that he would. "Tarrant, I'm sorry! Please, come back! Tarrant!"

She continued to run, trying to find her madman, when she finally ran into something that appeared out of the blue. The impact caused her to fall backwards and hit the gound with an umpleasant '_snap_' being heard underneath her. She groaned, pulling the twig she broke from under her.

"Alice?" asked the object she slammed into. Her brown eyes widened and she jolted her head up.

A scream, the loudest and most shrillist scream that ever left her mouth, erupted from her as she scrambled to stand up and run away for her life.

The object, more of a man than anything, grinned at her attempt and picked the blonde up, tossing her over his shoulder. _No, no, no! _Alice thought in a blurred rush as he started walking the way she was running towards.

_Please, help me Tarrant! _she pleaded silently in her mind.


	9. VIII

_**OC: Yo. Here's the eighth chapter. Yay! :D**_

_**WHOEVER GETS THE 69TH REVIEW I WILL DRAW A PICTURE FOR YOU! NO TRYING TRICK ME CUZ I'LL KNOW! ;D**_

_**Warning: My brogue is at a poor point. I haven't been working on it lately, so I'm a little rusty. :( (lol, I should make a Scottish Brogue translator for myself. Having what all the words would be XD)**_

_**-MUST READ- 2nd Warning: This chapter is centered around Tarrant and it contains some of his past. So it may be a little shocker for you at some points.**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

_**Alice Red Riding Hood**_

_**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**_

_**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**_

_**Genre: Romance (when HAVEN'T I not done romance?)**_

_**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**_

_**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

Tarrant was fuming, barring his teeth at anyone who approached him and growled when he heard a word directed at him. He refused to eat, refused to sleep and he never left the small, destroyed area that was his room. His hands clawed at the walls so much that he was sure they were thin as a piece of paper and a single hit would cause massive damage to them. His tears were staining his cheeks and his eyes had never been such a dreadful red. He wanted his Alice back, the only thing that was keeping him on the brink of sanity. The mutant man knew where she was, but he would be stepping on someone else's territory to get her. And the promise he made years ago burned in his mind.

_Aye wi' nevar stup foot un yer lund az long tat teh lassie iz yers..._

He growled. How dare that man! He knew very well that Tarrant never broke his promises. Knew that he would do anything for that young girl. For Alice. Tarranthad to remind himself that Alice was not a young girl. No, a full grown woman that he wanted as his.

"Damn ye, Charlez Kin'sleh..." he growled under his breath.

Oh how he loathed that man. The father and owner of Alice. That man would've been the first man he murdered, if he was not just what he said. Her father. Tarrant knew how much that bloody man meant to her. Her raised her, made everything better, made her forget things. Things including one of the most happiest times in her life since she convinced herself that her beauty was one of her worst qualities she possessed. The time where the forest use to be a save place where parents would let their child roam free without a care. Where Alice use to walk around the forest to visit her aunt with her hood covering her face and a basket of goodies in her hands, since the young gal had no friends to play with.

Tarrant smiled lightly as he drifted off into the memory of first meeting the young Alice...

_Alice, the little curly-haired, brown-eyed, beautiful girl of the age of nine walked carefully down the path that brought her to her aunt's home. Parents may not care about the dangers of letting a young child walk around a forest alone. But Alice was not stupid. She knew that there was dangers that lived in the woods that could easily kill her. But since nothing had bothered her since she first began entering the forest, she never really had nothing to worry about._

_The little girl looked around her, seeing if any children were in the same area as her. When she saw no child, she sighed happily and pushed her red hood off her face. She let the sun hit her smiling face._

_"Well, well, if it isn't little Alice." came a voice. Alice's eyes widened and she turned around to see a group of children emerging from the bushes. __**Oh, Alice! **__she thought harshly. __**You always forget to check the bushes!**_

_The one who spoke was a limby boy with red hair and a horrid smile. It was Hamish Ascot, her father's good friend's son. He always liked to pick on Alice, ever since the two were infants. Alice would always cry from his teasing, not having the courage to fight back. His mother, an equally horrid woman, was thinking it was because the two were destined to be and she was already planning a wedding for them._

_"So, what is in the basket, Red?" he asked her, using the nickname she detested. But she didn't get it because it was the color of her hood. No, it was the because that was color her face would turn when she started crying._

_Alice, feeling a little more courage when she was in the forest, glared at him. "It is none of your concern, Hamish!" she told him. She made a motion to start walking again. "Now, I think you should stick your nose up higher, or your mother would be gravely disappointed in you for not sneering down those who are 'less important than you'."_

_A few kids snickered at Alice's words. Everyone knew that Hamish was the biggest Mommas boy in the whole town and was taught that everybody was under him._

_Hamish's face turned an awful shade of red from anger. "You annoying- Give me that basket!" he growled, reaching for Alice's basket. Alice jerked the basket closer to herself before turning away and running._

_She heard Hamish order the other kids to run after her with him. Her little feet ran even faster when her ears caught the sound of the children running after her, laughing, telling her she couldn't run far._

_Alice made the foolish mistake of looking back, because the moment she did, she slammed against something hard and fell down onto the path. She felt like crying, from the minor pain that she received but transferred her gaze up... Into the amber eyes of the madman of the forest. Her eyes widened. She wanted to scramble away, but remained stuck to her spot. She couldn't understand why she couldn't move. She wanted to, but wanted to stay at the same time. It was confusing._

_He looked down at her with curiosity, taking in all her features. Alice did the same. He looked like he was nearing his twenties, a few years younger than her own father. He wore slightly tattered clothes and his marble-colored skin was slightly filthy, as if he had been living in the woods for quite some time. His electric orange hair frizzed upwards, a crazy hair style that matched his appearance._

_They both looked at each other in silence before the sounds of the children running came louder. Alice's eyes widened in fear as she turned to look at the children who were chasing her. Tarrant felt a slight jolt pass through him at the look of fear in her eyes. He turned to look in the same direction as her, only to see children looking at the pair with confusion and fear in their eyes. Then Hamish pushed through the crowd, an exhausted look on his face._

_He glared at the madman before looking back at the children. "Well?"_

_"W-well, what, Hamish?" one kid stammered._

_Hamish pointed towards Alice. "Are you not going to __**get **__her?" he growled at the kid, as if it was the most obvious thing. The kids trembled slightly before making a motion towards the blonde girl. She whimpered quietly, but Tarrant could hear it loud and clear._

_He felt a growl erupt from the back of his throat as he made a crouching position over the even more-frightened girl. He barred his teeth at the children, snarling. He looked absolutely feral. Like a wolf when someone was intruding on their territory. Tarrant had no idea what, or why, he was doing this for the young girl, but something snapped inside of him when she was threatened. Made him think more animal than man._

_The children coward back, one girl even screamed._

_Tarrant glared at the children, especially Hamish. "Aye suhggez ye ruhn." he growled lowly._

_The children immediately obeyed, screaming and running with their tails between their legs. Once Tarrant felt satisfied with the disant sound of terrified children, he smiled smugly. Then remembered the little blonde girl underneath him. He moved his gaze onto her, who was looking at him in curiousity like he had done earlier to her._

_"Are you all right?" he asked her, the anger andhis brogue gone like it had never happened. "You're not hurt, are you?" When she shook her head no, he sat on the ground infront of her._

_Alice sat up and looked at the strange man before her with new interest. Only a few moments ago, she was ready to scream for help, but now she wanted to reach out and hug him._

_"My name is Alice Kingsleigh." she decided on. He looked at her with a raised brow. She only smiled. "And I wish to thank you for...for scaring them away."_

_He was silent, never resting his raised brow. "Well?" she spoke after a moment's silence._

_"Well, what?"_

_She crossed her arms over her chest. "It is a common curticy to return your name when one has given theirs."_

_Her words made him laugh. A loud and full-of-madness laugh. Alice pouted, not liking the fact that this man was laughing at her._

_"I do not see what is funny, sir."_

_He giggled. "You're a smart gal. Aren't you, Alice?" he asked, tapping her nose with his index finger. "As for my name, it is Tarrant. Tarrant Hightopp."_

_She swatted his hand away gently, smirking playfully. He giggled at her action._

_"Now, what is a little girl like you being chased by other children in a dangerous wood?" he questioned her, giving her a toothy grin. He drapped his arms on his knees, his eyes filled with curiousity once again._

_Alice sighed. "It is because I wear this red hood." she answered, showing some of the cloth to him. "They think I am odd because of it. But it is my father that tells me to wear it, for he tells me he does not want the other children to be jealous because I am beautiful. Or so he tells me..."_

_Tarrant looked at Alice's face, seeing that her father was indeed right. Alice was absolutely breath-taking for a child her age, perfect in every way. Her skin was fair and clear with cheeks a adorable shade of red; her lips a pale shade of pink, a small mole above her top lip on the right side of her face; dull, blonde ringlets that carressed her face andshoulders all the way down to her mid-back; big brown eyes of a perfect shade centered her round face. She was beautiful, and, no doubt, was going to become an even more beautiful woman._

_Tarrant felt his pale cheeks reddened at his thoughts. __**Dear lord, she's just a child! **__he scolded himself._

_"And the wood is not dangerous, or else the parents would never let their children out here." she said, inturrupting his from his thoughts. Alice knew she was lying to herself. She had seen the way Tarrant scared the children and she most certainly sees his mad appearance. He looks as if he could hurt anyone who crossed him!_

_Before he could get a word in, Alice spoke again. "What about you, Mr. Hightopp?"_

_He chuckled. __**Curious gal**__he thought. "Please, call me Tarrant." he told her before he continued on. "As for me, I use to work in the hatting trade. My family are the best hatters in the land, well, before they died that is."_

_"Oh, Tarrant!" she gasped. Tears started forming in her eyes. "I did not- I did not mean- I honestly did not mean to reopen such awful wounds. I am truly sorry."_

_He wiped a stray tear away. "No, no. I will none of that crying. You hear me? No child will be crying because of my sad story. Now put a smile on that pretty face of yours!" She put a tearful smile on, but Tarrant took it anyway. "There. Now, give me a even prettier, happier smile for that face of yours!"_

_Alice giggled, giving him a happy smile. He gave a toothy smile back. Then the two started talking once more, growing a wonderful friendship between the two._

The memory was burned forever in his mind. But for Alice it was different story. It seemed her father made the young Alice forget everything that ever happened with him and their adventures in the wood. He growled.

Charles Kingsleigh was damned, he was the reason Tarrant was even like this.

Tarrant could have lived in the wood, forever searching for his damn hat. He was fine with that. But taking that little girl away from him, the little hope he had of ever gaining some minor sanity, was like something inside him was painfully ripped out from his throat. Making him to what he was now. Terrifying and mutated. And it had been painful, but less than the days when Alice hadn't been with him after she was taken away. He had even tried to go see her, but her damn father stood in the way. Never even letting him into the petty village. He at least knew where Alice had gain her courage. No, he couldn't live with Alice out of his life.

That's when the idea of murder came in.

If he simply let his anger out on the villagers, word would spread and people would worry. And when the time was right, he would offer their safety in exchange for Alice. He would finally have her back.

Oh, but she had to forget about him!

Tarrantcalmed himself down. It wasn't her fault. It was her father's. That dim-witted man! Oh, if Alice only realised that she leave her father behind. That she could fly away from her rotting nest, towards new happiness. Happiness with him.


	10. IX

_**Loli-D: Please enjoy this next chapter. And guess what? You get to meet the mysterious kidnapper... OOOOOOOOO. Also, it's time for Alice to have some spotlight on her past.**_

_**Also, I'd like to point out that in the past, Tarrant was human. He just wandered the forest for his beloved hat!**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

_**Alice Red Riding Hood**_

_**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**_

_**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**_

_**Genre: Romance (when HAVEN'T I not done romance?)**_

_**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**_

_**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

There was nothing.

Alice had opened her eyes, only to not be blinded by the sunlight or even to aroma of Tarrant's deliciously-made breakfast. There wasn't even the distant sound of her Aunt Imogene sleeping the early morning away. In fact, it was dark, odorless and there was no sounds.

There was nothing.

Nothing there that comfort her. In fact, everything seemed so odd, so unfamiliar. Like a long forgotten memory. She felt so hopeless, so..._unsafe_.

That's the thought that scared her the most because, after looking around the area for a few moments, she realized that this was her bedroom. The bedroom in her home, the place she use to live so peacefully and happily in for many years. The bedroom where she use to wait for her father whenever he went out to search for the beast. _Her _beast. The thought of Tarrant brought tears to her eyes. She was back to the place that was trying to _kill_ him. The place that sent _her _to kill him. Thinking that they were sending an archer to strike down a wild animal, but instead they were trying to push the thought of them actually sending a baby lamb to a starving wolf. Oh, but neither were correct in the case. No, they sent a lone girl to find someone that completed her. Made her laugh, made her cry, made her smile, made her realize that someone could, with the exception of her family and dear friends, look at her face and not be in a trance because of it. Alice felt her tears escape her finally.

"Alice?" came a voice. It was like the room, so unfamiliar. But the blonde knew exactly who it was.

"Hello, Father." Was that her voice? It sounded monotone, and a little hoarse.

She felt the bed shift a little bit as her father sat down beside her. When his arms moved towards her in a hug, she twitched back. Her father seemed stunned, but Alice didn't know for sure. She was refusing to look at him. "I don't want you to touch me." she harshly whispered, causing a new silence to overcome the room.

There was a tugging sensation in the pit of her stomach during this silence. She instantly knew what it was. Her curiosity. "Who brought me here?" she asked. Though she knew fully well how it was, but her father did not know that.

Charles hesitated. "A knave. From a nearby kingdom by the name of Crims." he paused briefly. Alice had heard of Crims. It was ruled by a horrible queen, who beheaded people left and right when she did not get her way. It was cruel. "He came when he heard the burden our town carried, saying he would help rid it if..."

The blonde almost felt a growl erupt from her throat. "If? If what?" she hissed through her teeth. She had a horrible feeling of what it was.

"If...you became his bride." Charles sighed out. He looked at his daughter with a strange look. "I know you may not like the idea of a forced marriage, Alice, but Ilsolvic is a very noble man who will be very loving-"

"My ass I'll marry such a man like him!" Alice screeched, having enough of her father of the moment. Charles was quite in shock. Never had he heard his daughter cuss. "I know you may have not notice, Father, but do you see any harm on me? Any terror in my eyes?" Charles looked at her, seeing the truth but was majorly confused at the change of topic. "Of course not, but do you know why?"

"Why?"

Alice stood up from the bed, glaring at her father. "Because the man you believed to be a murderer was just lonely, having only his sanity lost because of a stolen hat." She started walking towards the door. "And do you know what else, Father?"

He was silent, much to Alice's disbelief. Back before she left her father would be telling her that she was being delirious, that the madman was tricking her to believe such things before he murdered her. That she was lucky to be have brought home before that happened. _Yes, back before I had any backbone towards him!_ she angrily to herself.

She pushed the door opened and left the room, leaving her father to absorb the shocking words she just spoke.

"I believe that your angel has fallen in love with the devil."

...

Alice let her feet carry her away down the hall. She would reach the parlor and there would be the door. She could leave this damn place and return to her Tarrant.

Her heart beat quickened at the mention of his name. She was used to her heart's quick pace whenever he was mention or when he was seen. But, as the others would say if it was some other man, barely two weeks after meeting a man would never have been a reasonable time to decide that she was in love. Although, it was reasonable for her. And it was more than enough time for Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', who fell in love at first sight. Oh, but why couldn't she decide feelings before she asked about his past? Such a risky subject to talk about with a person who could snap your neck faster than a single breath.

Perhaps Alice did not ask about his past? If he hadn't ran out of the room? Would she be able to sort out her feelings still? Would Ilsovic have come to the house? Oh, dear, if he came, Tarrant would be dead. And most certainly Alice couldn't cope with his death. Then again. Could Ilsovic have even harm Tarrant? Tarrant was brutal murderer after all.

Alice placed her hand on the door handle when she felt a presence behind her. She straightened up and turned her head to face the presence.

There was Ilsovic sitting on the loveseat infront of the fire, looking at her with a hungry stare. Alice looked at his features, it has been many years since she seen the man.

His face was rugged and cold. (Not literary. Alice would never touch the man's face!) A scar zigged and zagged up his right cheek, hiding under a black patch, and reappearing again, but only to disappear into his shaggy, black hair. His uncovered eye was stone gray, undressing her with it. (_What a cad! _Alice thought.) His nose cranked downwards and his thin lips were in a smirking position. His tall, very tall, lanky body was sprawled over the seat. He wore knight's armor, black boots and gloves. All in all, he was _not _the type of man Alice looked for. (Not that she was ever searching!)

"Ilsovic," she greeted through clenched teeth, turning fully towards him.

He bowed his head. "Lady Kingsleigh." he purred back.

Alice narrowed her eyes. "I am truly sorry to be leaving so suddenly, but I must go."

"Go where?"

"Away from here, mainly away from Father and you."

The seat groaned as Ilsovic got up to walk towards her. "Now, precious," he began as he neared. "You needn't be like that. I saved your life from the town's burden."

"Tarrant is _not _a burden!" she growled. "He is a kind, lovable man that is only misunderstood and needs-"

She was interrupter by Ilsovic's laughter. "Oh, yes, what is there to misunderstand about a murderer who loves the taste of blood?"

Alice narrowed her eyes once more. "He does not love the taste of blood, Ilsovic. And to answer your question, there is a lot of answers to reply with. How do you know he wants to kill? Hasn't he kept his promise to not murder the villagers? I believe so, for I have not seen any fresh blood on his clothes since we met. Now, if you excuse me, I must be leaving."

When Alice finally opened the door, he spoke again. "You really expect a happy ending with that man? That everyone will let you live your life?"

"Of course." she answered, walking out into the lifeless village. "After all, I am dead."

...

_"Good morning, Tarrant!" a little blonde girl giggled, holding out a woven basket to the mad man._

_Tarrant smiled madly before grabbing the basket and start rummaging through it. He saw food, fabric, pins, thread and..._

_"Alice, what is this?" he asked, holding up a blue stone on a withered string. He looked at his young friend with a curious stare, having a grin send back to him._

_She threw her arms up into the air. "Happy Birthday!" she exclaimed. She stood up, taking the necklace with a smile, and untied the end to re-tie around his neck. "This was my mother's necklace. I know that I should have bought you a hat but I did not have the money for it... But I heard the best gifts come from the heart and there is nothing more dearest to me than my late mother's necklace."_

_The man was stunned, looking at the stone around his neck. Alice was willingly giving him something that was so much value to her? Him? The damned man wandering through the woods to look for a silly hat?_

_He looked at her, a smiled still planted on her face. He lightly smiled at her._

_"Thank you, Alice."_

...

Once she slammed the door shut, Alice had started running faster than her feet could handle. She often tripped and fell to the ground, tears stinging in her eyes. But it was not from the pain she was receiving. No, the sudden memories that were returning to her were the cause of her tears. The memories of a long forgotten childhood with her beloved friend, Tarrant. And not just the Tarrant she fell in love with, a human Tarrant that cared and protected her. Telling her to be safe, to stop crying and give him her beautiful smile, and to not talk that tubby cat. The one who held her hand when she wanted to speak to someone about her problems, the one who she gave goodies and fabric to everyday, the one who kept all her secrets about one day traveling the world with someone by her side, most preferably him. He was her first friend, the first one who wasn't her family to bow down to her beauty and obey her, the first one to fight against her and tell her she was ugly when she hated being called beautiful or pretty. (That may sound horrible, but she felt so damn happy after he told her. Everyone else would say, "But you _are _beautiful, Alice!".)

He was the first man she had ever fallen in love with, and she...she forgot him! Forgotten him like some gift that wasn't to her liking. Like some spider she had stepped on and hadn't giving a second thought about it.

Was this why he wanted her? To make her remember? To see what he had become without her? Did her leaving make him like this? Mutant and with blood-stained hands?

...

_Tarrant looked at Alice with an overly worried look. Her face was covered in tears and was red from her rubbing, her blonde ringlets were messy and filled with twigs and leaves, and a big gash was on her left leg, started from right under her knee to her mid-thigh._

_If Alice had looked at him, she would have found that his eyes changed to a stoney gray._

_"Oh, Cricket, what have you done?" he asked her as he kneeled in front of her crying figure. He placed a soothing hand on her shoulder, afraid that if he hugged her, she would hurt more._

_"T-T-Tarrant, I-I just wan-wanted to see...to see what it would li-like to be a b-bird!"_

_He couldn't help but chuckle. "Alice, Sweetling, you are a human girl. Not some winged animal who flies away every three seasons. I would be sane if you left me." he told her. He then started to pick her up carefully. "Now, let's head on to your auntie's to fix up that leg of yours."_

_"But-but Auntie will be so angry will m-me..." she sobbed into his jacket, clutching tightly._

_"I think she'll be too worried about her only niece."_

_Alice kept quiet, feeling her friend's heartbeat under her. It was quickly paced, most likely from the horrible scare she gave him when she suddenly fell from a tree after hours of him looking for her. She heard his footsteps crunch the deceased leaves under his feet, as he headed towards her ill aunt's home._

_She shut her eyes, snuggling into his chest. "Thank you very much, Tarrant."_

...

This was painful. Both for mind and body.

The memories were starting to hurt her mind. The town's seemingly, never-ending path was straining her feet.

Should she go back to her Tarrant? This was her home after-all, the place where she grew up with a loving father and, though not many, dear friends. They taught her to be well behaved, kind and everything that people considered a good quality in her. She was their perfect little angel. But...what of Tarrant? He had obviously changed when she left him so suddenly. Who knows what would to the poor madman now that she has been taken from him once more. Who knows what would happen to the village? Oh, she couldn't let happen to the village. Not what they unknowingly did for her. It would be horrible.

"Alice?"

The blonde beauty turned around at the mention on her name, seeing a woman her age standing by a window sill in her nightgown. She had brown hair that waved onto one shoulder and brown eyes that widened at the sight of her.

It was Fiona.

A bright smile came onto the girl's face as she ushered her younger sister over. "Faith, Faith! Wake up, you lazy git! Alice is outside!"

Oh no, Alice had to get away. Quick.

Without a second to think it over, she started running away again. The morning air blowing against her cheeks and brushing her hair back. Her aching feet having more pain come to them. Oh the gossip and the news that would come for her. She needed to get back into the forbidden woods, to her Tarrant.


	11. X

_**Uhhh, wow. LONG update, huh? *ducks from your thrown objects* Look, I'm sorry, okay? I've been having the worse case of Wrister's Block ever! NOW THIS MIGHT BE THE ONLY CHAPTER FOR A LONG WHILE SO YOU BETTER READ AND ENJOY. I'M SORRY IT'S SHORT, OKAY? Oh, by-the-bye, it's pretty mature in here. Not sex wise, but gore and the closest thing I've ever done to a sexual thing EVER. Enjoy my fellow pervs!**_

_**By-the-bye (again)...NIPHURIA, WHERE ARE YOU? That was the first time EVER you didn't comment on a chapter. I MISS your long comments. They're are so fun to read. And I miss chatting with you! :(**_

**_OH! I almost forgot to mention, I got American Mcgee's Alice: Madness Returns for PS3! I haven't played it yet (because I don't have a PS3...) but I'm excited too! This chapter is going to be my celebration of getting the game. :)_**

_**BUT, let us carry on now, shall we? WARNING: LANGUAGE AND OoC-NESS! I WARNED YOU! DB**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

_**Alice Red Riding Hood**_

_**Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)**_

_**Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)**_

_**Genre: Romance (when HAVEN'T I not done romance?)**_

_**Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...**_

_**I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.**_

_**Xx+=-_~**~_-=+xX**_

It was around midnight when she saw her aunt's cottage again. Or atleast, she thought it was around midnight. It was hard to tell, since throughout the whole day the trees covered the skies. The woods were dark, and more horrifying, than when she first entered. It was like it was reflecting someone's mood. But...

Oh, she didn't have time to think about this! She needed to find Tarrant, needed to tell him.

Alice's feet didn't need to be told twice to what to do. They made her run for the small cottage. Her face even grew a smile at the thought of seeing her beast again. To hold him, to confess her feelings, to kiss. She needed to be with him. And in the back of her mind, she knew he needed her too.

The door was brutally pushed opened, and the golden haired girl came to an abrupt stop when she saw the house was dead. No one was there. Not a living soul.

"Tarrant?" she called out. Her answer was met with silence. "Aunt Imogene? Hello, is anyone here?"

"He is gone." a voice suddenly spoke. The sudden sound made Alice jump in surprise and turn towards the source. Her eyes widened.

It was her ill aunt. And she did look very ill at the moment. Her face was sagging and practically grey, Alice now knew what the 'valley of death' looked like, and her once loving eyes were filled with sorrow and...was that hatred? She wore her nightgown and a shawl over it. She was standing in the kitchen, a knife in her hands. It was a very terrifying sight.

"Where is he?" Alice asked, ignoring her aunt's appearance, and the knife, for the moment.

Imogene's eyes downcasted to the floor before gazing into the forest out her window. "He is gone..." she repeated. Her eyes flashed full hatred for a second. "...searching for you."

Alice stepped back when he aunt started walking towards her, the knife aiming for her throat. She didn't dare speak. "You little prat! You took my only friend during your damned birth, you sent me to this...this _hell hole_ and you took the one I loved!"

The blonde's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about, Aunt Imogene? You always said you were waiting for your prince to come for you-"

"Tarrant _is _my prince!"

The outburst caught Alice of gaurd and Imogene sliced her arm. She hissed in pain, falling to the floor. Her aunt towered over her now, glaring. Alice flinched back at the look. She never knew her aunt could have such a harsh look. All she ever got from her aunt was smiles and kisses. How could her loving aunt...snap? Did love do this to people? Oh, dear lord, she hoped not.

The knife, stained with her blood, came down again. Alice rolled out of the way before kicking her aunt off her feet. The ill, yet psychotic, Imogene fell down to the hardwood with the sound of her back cracking filling the room. Alice crawled over to her aunt and tried to take the knife away from her. The two women fought and stuggled, the knife and life as their prize. Harsh words, very harsh words, were thrown at Alice and tears almost came out from them. But she wouldn't cry.

Alice was finally able to grab the knife from her aunt's hands and she sat ontop of her, keeping her hands away from the sharp object.

"You bitch, get off of me!" Imogene screamed, thrashing around. "Go back to your demon of a father and leave me and my love-"

"Shut. _Up!_" Alice screamed back, glaring hard. She was having enough of her ramblings. 'Tarrant is mine', 'Me and Tarrant were made for eachother', 'You stole him away from me, you bitch'... They were all wrong, and they were making the usual good-nature Alice very angry. Because Tarrant was _hers_, _her_ and Tarrant were made for eachother and Alice _never_ stole something that was not her aunt's in the begining. "You crazy old spinster, you need to shut up and start thinking correctly!"

"Crazy old _spinster? _Just wait until my love hears about that! His hands will soon be stained with your blood, that they will! And, finally, my love and I can live in peace-"

"_Stop _with your delluded _fantasies_!" Alice told her, screaming at the top of her lungs. Her eyes narrowed and she brought the knife down into her aunt's heart. Blood ran out from the wound and starting flowing and staining both women's dresses and the floor. But Alice didn't stop there. She brought the knife out and dug it right back in to another part of the old woman's chest, bringing it back out, then back in, back out and back in...

Blood was everywhere. It was on the floor, on the furniture, on the walls and ceiling, on Imogene, and of course all over Alice. Blood lust was in her eyes, and she did not stop stabbing her aunt until blood stop coming and there was a pool of red around her.

She panted, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Blood smeared over her forehead and hand, but she didn't care. She glanced at the knife...

"Oh, dear lord, what have I done...?" she whispered in horror, after seeing the pure satisfaction that was on her face a second ago. She threw the knife away from herself and looked down at her aunt.

It was not a pretty sight.

Her face, still sagging and grey, was wide-eyed in horror with blood droplets in random places. Imogene's mouth was open, two lines of blood staining the sides of lips. Her neck was bleeding heavily, two knife stabs in her neck. Her chest... Who was Alice kidding? Her aunt's chest wasn't even there anymore, blood and cut-up organs strewing all over her murdered aunt. Her arms showed a struggle, but they weren't as bad as the rest of her upper torso. The floor around her was stained with the blood, mini rivers of red flowed through the cracks in the wood.

Alice heard a chuckle. "Yus, yus, cricket... whut 'ave ye dun?"

The blonde gave a silent gasp, turning towards the source of the Scottish brogue. There was the madman of the forest, dressed in rags with spots of fresh blood on them, his pale skin dirty and stained. His hair even more orange and electrified with torn wolfen ears on top, his eyes a mixture of bright red and deep blue. A evil, mad smile was on his face. His figure was leaning against the wall, his tail twitching.

"T-T-Tarrant," she stuttered, ashamed and scared that he found her like this. When she said his name, he started strutting towards her. "I...I did not mean to do this- it was horrible what I did, I know- but... but I do not know how to explain-"

She was silenced by his lips crushing against hers, demanding and wanting . Her eyes widened and, although it was covered with red in the first place, her face exploded red.

Tarrant pulled back, smirking devilishly. "Lass, ye dun't undurrstand whut ye do to Aye, do ye?" he chuckled, something that sent his body to shake. "Well...why dun't Aye show ye?"

What happened next, Alice would still be blushing today.

Tarrant took her hand and guided it down his chest, towards his manhood. Her face was even more red when she felt how hard and ready it was. She blushed even deeper when a low pleasure-filled growl came from the back of his throat. Oh, the indecency..!

His free hand cupped her face and brought it closer to him. For a second, she thought he was going to kiss her, but his lips ended up on her neck. Biting, licking, and sucking at every inch of skin that made her neck. Alice felt her skin heat up, and a very new warm feeling in her stomach.

His lips traveled up her jaw and towards her ear. His nibbled on the lobe before his tounge flashed out. It got a moan out of her.

"Why dun we hed to teh behdrum, eh, Lassie?"


End file.
